Field of the Invention
The invention lies in the field of gait training apparatus and relates to a gait training apparatus for the mechanical production of a natural gait pattern, in particular the gait pattern of the sole of the foot. The gait training apparatus in each case comprises a first and second multi-joint mechanism which are mechanically coupled to one another and are for each leg, moreover a drive for the input of a rotatory movement into the first multi-joint mechanism, and a foot support element which is coupled to the second multi-joint mechanism.
A gait pattern in the present description is to be understood as the aggregation of the movements of the individual segments of the lower extremities on walking. The individual segments amongst other things include the thigh, the lower leg and the foot, which are connected to one another via joints. The gait pattern in particular also includes the change of the position of the segments relative to one another. Thus, different points of the lower extremities describe different movement trajectories. For this reason, the gait pattern also cannot be represented by a specific gait curve, but rather by a plurality of movement trajectories of representative points in the lower extremities. Such representative points for example represent the heel point, the toe point as well as joint points, via which the body segments are connected to one another such as e.g. the hip joint, the knee joint and the foot joint.
The gait pattern, apart from the purely geometric movement trajectories, also includes the movement speed of the extremities along their movement path.
Limitations of the musculoskeletal system that are caused by neurological incidents such as accidents or disease, or due to the ageing process, represent a significant challenge for therapists. Stroke patients, cerebral palsy patients, patients with multiple sclerosis and those who suffer from Parkinson's are affected. Various therapy methods exist within neuro-rehabilitation, by way of which the walking ability of the patient concerned can be improved or at least stabilised. Various studies and practice have shown that the repetitive execution of the courses of movement of walking is one possible promising application.
Description of Related Art
It is known e.g. to carry out a therapy on treadmills, by way of therapists moving the lower limbs of the patient by hand. Moreover, mechanically driven training apparatus are also known, with which the legs and/or the feet of the patient are automatically led in a trajectory that approximates the human gait pattern.
US 2011/0077562 A1 for example describes a gait training apparatus for the mechanical production of a natural gait pattern. The gait training apparatus for the mechanical reproduction of the gait pattern in each case of one leg comprises a first four-joint mechanism and a second four-joint mechanism that is coupled to the first one. The joint mechanisms are driven via a drive motor. The gait training apparatus has the disadvantage that the speed of the drive motor necessarily has to be closed-loop controlled for producing a realistic gait pattern. The gait training apparatus moreover does not permit the movement trajectories to be changed by way of mechanical settings or adjustments on the apparatus. A further disadvantage lies in the fact that the gait training apparatus only reproduces a curve of a point, e.g. of the heel or midfoot, and not the desired movement of the complete plane of the ball of the foot. This means that the angle of the foot is not controlled. Moreover, the gait training apparatus has large dimensions due to its mechanical design, is therefore unwieldy, and requires much space.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,362 describes a training apparatus for strengthening the muscle system of the leg and mechanically reproduces the gait movement. The training apparatus in each case for one leg comprises a first multi-joint part-mechanism that is responsible for the horizontal and vertical position of the foot along the gait curve, as well as a second multi-joint part-mechanism that is responsible for the inclination angle of the foot. The part-mechanisms are driven via a common drive that feeds a rotatory movement into the system. The training apparatus has the disadvantage that this does not reproduce the human gait pattern in a particularly precise manner. This may be sufficient for a fitness apparatus that merely has the purpose of strengthening the leg muscle system. The apparatus however is not suitable as a gait training apparatus for passively training the gait movement. Moreover, the direct conversion of a rotatory movement into a translatory movement leads to greatly dimensioned apparatus that are unwieldy and require much space.
In the expert field, it is an undisputed fact that the human gait pattern of the individual leg as well as both legs moved in a coordinated manner is an extremely complex matter. The reproduction of the human gait pattern, which is as precise as possible, therefore represents a great challenge. Moreover, one should note that each human has his own gait pattern that amongst other things is based on the anatomy, the gait speed as well as the individual characteristics of the walking movement.